Tyreke Evans was the #1 ranked HS player in the country last season and last year was the winner of the Triple Crown (MVP of the the Boost Mobile Elite 24 Game, the McDonald’s All American Game & the Jordan Brand Classic Game). Tyreke is considered to be a lottery pick in this year’s 2009 NBA DRAFT and will be contributing to Philly Hoops monthly.

Dear Diary,

We lost last week in the sweet 16 round of the tourny. The game was played in Phoenix, Arizona on the same field where this year’s Super Bowl was played. I felt bad for Antonio, Robert and Chance because they are seniors and it meant that their college career is over. We thought we were going to win the whole thing. Coach Cal did a great job of preparing us but Missouri hit every shot they took and we didnt always execute. I scored 33 points which was a career high for me. My mom told me that I made the cover of Sports Illustrated again. Nothing gets by her. The semester doesn’t end until the first week of May, so now I get to focus more on school.I havent made up my mind about entering the draft.

I’ll get with my brothers and figure out what to do next about the draft. Reggie has been getting alot of feedback from personnel people so he’ll have a good idea about what happens next for me. Its going to be a tough decision but either way I cant go wrong. Next year’s recruiting class is ranked #1, so we are going to be even better. The next time I write you will know my decision so stayed tuned.

The projections – some of them, at least – say he’ll be a lottery pick if he leaves school early, a 19-year-old millionaire the moment commissioner David Stern summons him to the stage during this summer’s NBA draft.
For Memphis freshman Tyreke Evans, the decision whether to remain in college or turn pro seems automatic – especially considering he’ll get no resistance from his head coach.
“Without question,” Memphis’ John Calipari says, “if Tyreke has the opportunity to leave, I’ll tell him, ‘You’ve got to go.’ ”
Calipari has done it before with freshmen such as Derrick Rose and DaJuan Wagner – and he’ll likely do it again next season with the one-and-done prospects from a 2009 recruiting class that some analysts are already hailing as the best in college basketball history.
More and more these days, Memphis is becoming the country’s most popular pit-stop to the NBA.
“There’s a proven track record here,” Calipari says. “When you’re ready to take that next step, we won’t hold you back.”